The plant is native to tropical Asia and is widely grown in Philippines and Indonesia. The oil is produced in Reunion, Comoro islands, Sumatra, Java, and Madagascar.
The tree bears flowers throughout the year. The flowers are harvested from April to June, after the rainy season. Moderate harvest takes place from September to November.
The tropical tree grows up to 20 meters in height. The plant was a very popular ingredient for making hair preparations in Europe and was called as macassar oil. Ylang ylang means “Flowers of Flowers” and is prized across the globe for its uses.
The essential soil of ylang ylang is extracted from freshly picked flowers by steam or water distillation. The oil is slightly yellow in color with an exotic and sweet smell.
Health benefits
- The essential oil of ylang ylang is a nerve booster. It strengthens the nerves and protects them from further damage. It also heals nervous disorders.
- When used as massage oil, it helps in insomnia, physical exhaustion, depression, nervous tension, stress, and anxiety.
- The oil kills head lice.
- French chemists Garnier and Rechler discovered that the oil was effective against diseases including malaria, typhus, and intestinal infections.
- The oil has calming effects. It reduces tachycardia (fast heart beat) and hypernea (fast shallow breathing). It also reduces blood pressure, and tension.
- Ylang ylang oil improves blood circulation thereby allowing nutrients to be delivered to various systems and organs, keeping them functioning and healthy.
- The oil acts as a good sedative and helps with shock panic, metal stress, and depression.
- Ylang ylang oils works wonders on sunburned skin as it soothes inflammations and redness, and relieves pain.
- The oil also promotes the formation of new skin tissues.
- Tropical women have for long used the oil in hair preparations. The oil helps in repairing split ends and also provides luster and shininess to the hair. The oil also promotes hair growth.
- The people of Samoa and Tonga used the oil for treating colic, indigestion, constipation, and stomachaches.
- In England, people sniffed the oil for averting seizure attacks.
- The oil provides relief from eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis.
- Ylang ylang smoothes skin and helps to ward off wrinkle and premature aging.
- The oil eases muscle spasms, backaches, sciatica, and relaxes tense muscles.
- The other therapeutic properties of the oil include anti-depressant, anti-seborrhoeic, anti-septic, aphrodisiac, hypotensive, and sedative.
